Here’s a story from my Facebook feed this morning. It comes from a woman who flies American Airlines regularly (she’s a top tier Executive Platinum member). And she’s the kind of customer American likes.
- She regularly buys first class tickets.
- If she buys an economy ticket, and it looks like her upgrade won’t clear, she buys up to first.
I think it’s fair to say she’s allergic to coach. In fact she may even qualify for an accommodation under the Air Carrier Access Act: she needs an emotional support seat up front!
However she experienced a situation that highlights one of the perverse things wrong with air travel today, and with American Airlines customer service.
She purchased a business class ticket Miami – Los Angeles on their Boeing 777-300ER with international lie flat direct aisle access seats. It’s a five and a half hour evening flight, and she wanted to ensure she flew up front.
Upon boarding, a passenger seated in the row behind her got on “with a rather large dog” who she says “tried to jump on” her.
American Boeing 777-300ER Business Class
She says she’s “allergic to animals” and asked a flight attendant for help getting re-seated. They offered her another seat in the back of the cabin, but there was a dog in the seat next to that one too so she declined.
That’s when she had an unexpected problem.
I said to a[.. flight attendant] that I hope we don’t need to make an unplanned stop to which she replied “we don’t want that to happen” I replied that I didn’t want that to happen either.
I returned to my seat and did my best to shield myself from the dog.
A few minutes later the [gate agent] came up to me and said that I had to get off the flight. I thought he was joking but when I realized that he wasn’t, I complied as I know the FAA rules concerning crew member compliance.
As I disembarked, a few of the [flight attendants] were applauding and cheering because I was being removed.
Although there were still two more Miami – Los Angeles flights last night, she didn’t get to her destination. Instead she was on a flight this morning on a narrowbody, not the lie flat seat she purchased.
There’s not a lot you can do if you have an allergy and you’re seated near an animal onboard. I offer 9 tips for planning to deal with pet allergies onboard.
It seems to me though the the crew should have handled this differently from the get go.
- If a dog isn’t being well-controlled in the cabin, the owner shouldn’t be allowed to fly until they demonstrate that it can be properly managed. I’m somewhat sympathetic to disability claims here, I also think that if someone is going to fly then they ought to bring an emotional support animal that fits under the seat and doesn’t try to jump on other passengers. At the same time, someone concerned about animals may misinterpret such an action.
- The crew should have done more to try to reseat the passenger. I think it’s fair to announce, “a passenger in business class has an allergy to dogs, is there anyone willing to trade seats with her?” Maybe there isn’t, but American could have made that effort.
I’m ultimately fine with animals on board, provided they are well-controlled and behaved and airlines need to be better at accommodating passengers with allergies too once there’s a conflict.
At the point that the crew wasn’t going to handle the situation, once the passenger mentioned the potential to divert I can understand concern. It shouldn’t have gotten there but an airline reasonably doesn’t want to risk flying with a passenger that’s contemplating needing the aircraft to stop mid-flight.
I wasn’t there and we have only the passenger’s version of the story. However applause from crew over this passenger’s removal is mortifying. It’s clear that she is sincere in her telling, she believes this is exactly what happened. Yet American advised her that she is “due no compensation” but that they “hope to see [her] on another AA flight.”
She’s clearly a good, valuable, frequent customer. She’s not a novice traveler who doesn’t understand the rules (I can separately attest to this). She let American know that she was mortified and embarrassed by a situation on their flight, not just inconvenienced. American should be bending over backwards to make this right to her because she’s made it clear that this incident is highly significant to her, an inflection point for her as a customer of the airline. Their response to her was tone deaf and has her questioning her loyalty to American.
I think there are lessons here beyond the treatment of one customer as well.
- We’re seeing increasing conflict onboard between passengers over emotional support animals. Whether airlines like it or not they need to become better at resolving these conflicts.
- There are many great crew out there, but largely they’re great by virtue of their own commitment and personality. Handing out big raises won’t in itself change the culture, and for the most part US airlines have allowed themselves to forget that they’re a service business.
- Airlines have been too generous with compensation at times in the past. That was a matter of explicit policy, like United (prior to being taken over by Continental) deciding it was better to pay out vouchers to complaining customers than maintain the interiors of their aircraft. However customers who represent significant income streams need to feel like their voice is being heard, and it’s in the airline’s financial interest to make sure that happens.
US carriers — and not just American — would be wise to listen to this woman’s story not because it’s beyond reproach (it was probably unwise to mention a potential diversion!) but because she’s a profitable customer speaking clearly about what’s important to her. And businesses ultimately make money by providing their best customers who are willing to pay the prices asked with what they actually want.
Perhaps it’s time for foreign companies to start operating domestic routes. Americans clearly have no concept of service anymore.
Details are being left out –
Why would the crew applaud her leaving? Why does AA say they owe her no compensation?
I was EP for 2 years and 1K now for 2 years. I have been more than fairly compensated for bumps, mishaps, delays. I have sat in the back of the plane between two huge people more times per year than most people fly in their lifetime. I have sat next to unruly parents and children more than unruly dogs.
My seasoned guess: she acted entitled and treated the crew terribly.
I’m fully in favor of actual service animals – they are actually needed, and they are always well behaved.
But an “emotional support” animal? How ridiculous is this becoming? Can I bring an “emotional support” firearm onto a plane? No – because it could be harmful to other passengers. Same rules should apply here.
Saw a lady at Tampa airport with three therapy poodles. I love animals but was happy she wasn’t on my flight. Three seemed a bit excessive. If there’s that much anxiety, perhaps it’s time to consider Xanax.
I guess when the airlines quit killing animals in the hold then they can better restrict animals in the cabin…
…or, better yet, passengers can leave their non-service animals at home, where they belong.
This new “emotional support” classification of animals is just a way for the flyer to make sure
their pet travels in the cabin and for free. I wouldn’t want to sit next to a dog if I was allergic.
If you need to travel with your emotional support animal, then let’s get it federally licensed, registered and make them pay for it. That will stop all this bs. I was waiting for a flight in Austin and saw a woman walk up to the gate agent, ask her a few questions and her little dog proceeded to pee right there in the middle of the area on the carpet. Who needs to put up with that stuff? It is getting out of hand and hurting those people that really need it.
To Mark S. It is obvious you have no concept of just what a thearpy animal does…
I hope you not any member of your family ever needs one…but if they do, I hope you remember what a stupid statement you and your prejudice uttered.
I agree they should all be well behaved and trained as mine are.
My sister is deaf and is on her second service dog… This little spitfire weighs 9 pounds (her first weighed 38). We traveled from Boston to San Diego without incident. Service digs are required to wear a “gentle lead” when in public – a muzzle of sorts, as a preventative for biting. Service dogs do come in all shapes and sizes. Before my niece passed away she had an emotional support dog. – my niece had juvenile Huntington’s disease and this dog was allowed anywhere in public with her. It was however not allowed to attend school with her. There are some emotional dogs that would be in a different situation and would be allowed to attend school with a child. This dog would also be allowed on a flight and would have a Gentle Leader muzzle the entire time it was in public. I think there needs to be a defined list given to Airlines of actual programs that are considered ADA compliant. We are required to provide proof of documentation when checking-in and I think it would help the airline’s tremendously with this sort of situation. It is difficult if someone is highly allergic I think there needs to be prior notification of the possibility of animals on a flight it would cover the airlines and people could make executive decisions on whether to fly or not and that particular flight. It will be impossible to please everyone but I feel that both passengers and crew lack kindness and patience these days. That in of itself is a huge disappointment.
Planes are for people.
The animals pose a safety risk. They aren’t buckled in and become a hazard should turbulence occur.
Passengers and animals alike are safer if the animals are created in the hold.
No to mention allergies and there is no bathroom facility for the animals.
Claiming to be “allergic to animals” seems pretty sketchy. And why would the cabin crew applaud if her version of the prior events told everything?
Perhaps this was just stunt marketing for the newly announced fifth season of Arrested Development. Very Bluth.
This happened to me when flying with my daughter. Going from SFO-LHR xPHL She said that she was feeling a bit nauseous to me and I asked a flight attendant for some water before we took off. She asked why and I said that my daughter was not feeling well after having eaten too much candy and will likely want it (which is true). The drink went down the wrong way and she had a little cough and all was fine. Within 5 minutes, ground staff were there to clear me and my family off the plane due to ‘illness.’ Because we were using points, we were left with no assistance to get any flights to continue our journey and directed to a payphone since I had no mobile phone that worked in the US (I explained this to them). The ground crew waved at me as they were closing up the area and the airport was closing. I was on endless hold and forced to find a hotel on short notice. She was not sick and never got sick. I have 2MM with AA and I have not flown them since, except where I had no choice. The new AA is absolutely terrible, but unfortunately air travel has become a race to the bottom for customer service.
Airlines bend over backwards to accommodate food allergies (peanuts, etc). How is an allergy to pet dander any different? I sense a movement of treating “pets as people” which, beyond a point, is asinine.
what does the law says??
Why are dogs on planes? This isn’t the third world- we shouldn’t be letting animals on board.
story doesn’t add up…biz class on 777-300 doesn’t have seats where a dog would be sitting “next to her” and she has to shield herself from the dog. But the seats have dividers and footwells and if the dog is sitting on the floor or even occupying a biz class seat itself, it’s not like it’s “next to her” you know what I mean?
This lady seems to be just a grouchy stuck up one percenter who didn’t want to be anywhere near a dog and was finding fault with the accommodations the airline offered.
LovePrunes from FT she was in row 3, dog across aisle in row 4
I know 2 people who will get anaphylactic reactions to dogs/cats–one is my daughter. So….airlines won’t allow peanuts on their flights anymore for fear of provoking allergic reactions, but no prob with these “emotional support” dogs (or any dogs for that matter).
If a person is unstable enough to require an animal as a security blanket. Then that person is unstable enough to be a security risk, especially should an emergency arise.
This ALL heresay, The passenger said the dog tried to jump on her, she said the crew clapped as she deplaned, etc
Sounds,as if the crew tried to rearrange her seating, she became allergic to economy. According to the rules the complaining party gets to be removed , not the passenger traveling with an accredited service animal.
If she is allergic to economy and animals then rent a plane
Michele, there is no requirement for a service dog to use a gentle leader. It does not work as a muzzle or prevent biting, as you state. A gentle leader is a sort of power steering for better control and direction for leading a dog. My wife’s service dog prefers a gentle leader; she feels more secure with it on.
As for traveling with a service dog, you do not have to provide documentation. You must be prepared to answer the only two questions the airline can legally ask you according to the ADA: “Is the animal required because of a disability?” and “What work or task has the dog been trained been trained to perform?” The only documentation you must provide is an inter-state vet’s travel certificate stating the dog is healthy and has all of its required vaccinations. The vet’s certificate must be dated within 10-14 days of the start of the trip. Every animal traveling by air must have this health certificate. Airlines do have clear guidelines regarding ADA compliance for disabled passengers traveling with service dogs. The issue is with poor training of airline personnel on the ADA and a lack of willingness to turn away or enforce animal travel requirements for passengers with “comfort” or “therapy” dogs not covered by the ADA. Abuse of airlines’ willingness to accommodate “comfort” or “therapy” dogs by people like the lady with three caped poodles makes it very difficult for those with issues not covered or considered by the ADA as a disability to travel with their dog.
Just for everyone’s information, only two animals, dogs and miniature horses, are eligible to be a service animal under the ADA rules. No pigs, cats, ducks, turkeys, or any other type of animal qualifies. Please read the ADA requirements for service animals at https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
This is terrifying to me, as I am allergic to anything with fur.
I had no idea that I could potentially be seated next to a dog, or that I would have to worry about sitting in a seat that a dog has been in. I don’t go into anaphylactic shock, but break out into hives with potential eye swelling.
Anyone allergic to animals should not have to worry about this when flying.
Everyone is missing the key part where the FA may have mistakenly assumed the passenger made a threat about the flight going down. Obviously the passenger was referring to allergic reaction but wording and tone is key.
if i haD a peanut allergy the airline woukd be REQUIRED to accomodate me by banning OTHER passengers in my row and the rows ahead and behind from using any product containing peanuts.
why not the same for animal allergies?
The passenger mentioned “I hope we don’t need to make an unscheduled stop”. That sounds threatening to me, or at the very least, she is deathly “allergic to animals”. The woman is obviously misleading people. If she was as easy going as she claims, the crew would have no reason to applaud her removal. “Large pets” aren’t allowed in the aircraft cabin, only small animals in carriers that fit beneath the seat, so it was service animal. I also find it hard to believe that the only other seat (in economy, which obviously she’s too good for anyways) was next to another dog. She very easily could have swapped with someone else (coach or first class) if she’d actually been willing to. If no one was willing to swap with her, then clearly she was just being a huge pain in the ass to start.
Airlines take precautions with food allergies, they should also take into consideration animal allergies. Why wasnt the passenger with dog relocated to back next to other passenger with their dog. If these dogs was indeed service animals, then they would have been trained animals, then should not have had any problem sitting next to each other. Problem solved.
Sorry if you can’t fly without Fido then maybe you shouldn’t be getting on a plane. Enough is enough. I love animals but there are some people who are allergic. I don’t see why other paying passengers should have to be removed from the flight when someone brings their pet on. Its a big plane you would think they could re-accommodate the passenger. That being said I believe airlines should ban pets in First and Business class. That way anyone with a pet allergy can buy a premium ticket if they are that concerned and these situations can be avoided. If pet owners want to fly premium then they can leave the animal at home or make other arrangements. This emotional support garbage needs to stop. They can bring a frickin teddy bear onboard if they have to.
Had dogs in the cabin when I flew to Vancouver last year. These were not therapy dogs, but were pets traveling in the cabin. I asked the flight attendant if I could get my inhaler out of my carryon as we were getting ready to push back. She allowed me to do so. I guess I’m lucky I wasn’t kicked off the flight. The women traveling with their dogs were highly irritated when they realized that I needed my inhaler because of their pets. Some folks are highly allergic. The airlines need to consider this and quit treating people who are allergic like second class citizens and therapy pets as first class passengers.
Obviously legitimate service animals are the exception to the rule.
I don’t know that they were applauding her being removed. Maybe she misconstrued what they were applauding. If they were in fact applauding her being removed then the only acceptable action by AA would be termination of said employees. I mean how is that even remotely appropriate? If some cabin crew did that to me I would NEVER fly that airline again no matter what. This is a woman who spends a lot of money with AA. You would think the airline would show more concern.
Passengers requesting to travel with any type of animal for any reason in the cabin should be “subject to”. If their request to travle with an animal inconveniences another passenger(s), the passenger traveling subject to must take a different flight.
My emotional support animal is Ativan. 😉
I suffer from pretty bad agoraphobia and very rarely travel. I have 2 dogs, live in Hawaii and pretty much have to fly to get anywhere. Emotional Support animals are a bit excessive and just and not xcuse to not pay the pet fee and nodded in the case of Hawaii, get out of $400-$700 fees to get blood work, vet clearance at home, vet clearance at arriving Hawaii airport and most important the quarantine applied to other dogs. They think they are slick avoiding all this, it will end up getting regulated andnndirportvoidingnd bringing your lap dog on board will carry a cost.
The Captain is legally responsible and essentially liable for the safety of all crew and passengers. If a passenger makes it clear that something may compromise the ability to fulfill that responsibility (I.e. you declare an allergy to something that the captain can’t control), the passenger may be asked to leave. Take a train or ship or drive. I’ve seen this happen numerous times and I’ve always spoken to the Captain and reassured them.. as they usually hate making that call.
There are 3 types of animals that can be in the cabin. One is a service animal which is usually a dog to help out with a person with disabilities and medical issues. These animals do not need to be in a carrier and they are registered as Service animals. The second is an “emotional support” animal. These can be any type of animal, a dog, cat, pig, small horse, turkey, chicken, duck, etc. (I know, it’s crazy). All you need to do is get a Dr.’s letter stating that the passengers needs to fly with this animal for emotional support. The airlines can only ask to see this letter and legally can not ask any other questions about the animal. There are very few passengers that actually need to have an emotional support animal to fly. Most of the passengers get their doctor to write this letter so they don’t have to pay the fee from the airlines to bring the animal on. This animal also is not required to be in a carrier. The third is an animal that the passenger brings on board and as required to pay a fee and the animal must be kept in the carrier under the seat in front of them. The issue is passengers know how to work the system with this emotional support animal and not pay the airline fee, that is the real problem here. Airlines have their hands tied with this issue and have to be very careful legally in dealing with these types of situations. The emotional support animal is way out of control and consequently these things are going to happen over and over again Maybe if you are so emotionally unstable that you can’t fly without your animal, you should drive instead of inconveniencing everyone else on the plane.
Emotional support animals are bullshit, I agree with the people making those comments. However, I am STILL in the process of having my Basset Hound declared an “Emotional Support Animal” simply because it makes my life easier. If I could fly economy and book the entire row of seats for me and my dog – I wouldn’t bother. But the alternative, is that she flies in the hold – And that’s not happening. If airlines had reasonable ways for people to travel with their pets, even at the cost of buying the entire 3 seats, or even an extra one – The amount of these support animals would be greatly lessened. However, you work with the system as it exists. Hence, I’ll soon have my dog traveling for free.
As for the woman in question: She is obviously well to do financially, and my guess is that she probably came across as overly arrogant and snooty. The flight attendants probably jumped at the chance to kick her off and give her something of a comeuppance. Hence the applause. If she were legit allergic, and was even somewhat polite – It most likely wouldn’t have ended with her removal. Treat people like dirt, and they will in turn find ways to fuck with you. You can be surprised at how much power, even the “little people” have.
Trained support animals are trained not to jump on people. It sounds like that dog was not trained as an emotional support animal. If so, then the passenger who was trying to put one over on AA should’ve been kicked off instead.
That almost happens to me.and my wife a year ago with SouthWest. We were coming back from Chicago and because my wife has a knee that doesn’t bend from being run over by a drunk, we got on and sat on the right front where more legroom was. The steward said we couldn’t have anything blocking the isle because of FAA rules.
The plane loaded and a guy came on with a dog that sitting down is over three feet high and they seat him next to me. I said “oh no”. I explains I was allergic to dogs and a few months before I was comming back from Alaska and a dog was brought onboard. I had an allergic reaction an hour and a half later at 1:30 in the morning where my eyes rolled back and I had passed out. They had all the cabin lights on and was going to look for a place to land in Canada. I got a mask, water and pills and said I thought I’d be ok to go on to Denver. They were all anxious but we did and they met us at the gate with EMS and took my wife and I to the hospital. Twelve hours later and thousands of dollars later we finally got out leaving AMA.
The gate master asked if I had a letter from a Doctor. I said “No”. He said then we’d have to get off the plane.
What??? The dog is blocking the isle with the sign that says nothing can block the isle and is not tagged as special at all. It looks part wolf. My wife says– so let me get this straight… you’re willing to kick off two handicapped people off for a dog?
He emphatically said “yes, unless you are willing to move to the back of the plane.”
The steward was embarrassed and got me a mask and we found a seat on the isle my wife’s leg could stick out.
Pretty rude. I now carry a medical letter and wristband.
“TC says:
May 19, 2017 at 3:25 pm
if i haD a peanut allergy the airline woukd be REQUIRED to accomodate me by banning OTHER passengers in my row and the rows ahead and behind from using any product containing peanuts”.
IN RESPONSE: I am a flight attendant so let me tell you what the FAA says about the issues of animals & allergies:
Animals are classified as 1) service animal 2) emotional support animal or 3) cabin pet.
1) service animals and emotional support animals are required to be able to sit/lay/curl up at the feet of the disabled passenger. They cannot be in an exit row, extend into the aisle or the foot space of another passenger who does not wish to share that space. A disabled passenger seated in a row that will not accommodate the animal may be reseated to a row more suitable. A lap held animal may be held in the passengers lap for all phases of flight. If service animal is too large to fit in the disabled passengers floor space move that passenger to a seat with a vacant seat next to it (if available), in no vacant seats exist refer the PASSENGER WHOSE SPACE IS INFRINGED UPON TO A CSA.
In other words, a passenger with a disability and their service animal take higher priority than a regular passenger when the regular passenger is inconvenienced because of the service animal.
Pertaining to animal allergies: if a passenger advises they have a life threatening allergy to an animal, attempt to reseat the allergic passenger as far away as possible. If this is impossible notify a CSA. SERVICE ANIMALS ARE NOT TO BE RELOCATED OR REMOVED FOR LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIES.
Pertaining to peanut allergies: (My airline) does not serve peanuts on our flights. However we do not consider our airline to be “peanut free”. We cannot guarantee that the aircraft is 100% free of peanuts, peanut material or peanut products. We will not prevent passengers from bringing their own peanuts or peanut products onboard and consuming them during flight.
Basically you are on PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. We cannot be expected to accommodate food and animal allergies because they are so widespread and vary greatly from person to person. People with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you get on a plane and take issue with a service animal or someone near you eating peanuts…..maybe you should consider driving to your destination.
Unfortunately the Airline’s hands are tied in many of these circumstances, and ultimately it is the employees’ job to deal with the issues of passengers SAFETY above all else. What does this mean? It means that if YOU have an allergy to ANYTHING that could make you sick onboard the plane – an animal, a peanut, perfume, or even the airplane itself, it’s not the Airline’s job to accommodate YOU. It IS their job to make sure everyone onboard the flight is SAFE. So if you announce that you might get so sick that we could have to divert, you will be removed. Your safety cannot be compromised to the degree that it will compromise the entire flight and every other passenger. The ADA has rules in place that make it nearly impossible to take any action against a handler when it involves a Service Dog or Comfort Dog. We are not even permitted to ask to see any type of certification for the animal. And I say ANIMAL, because as a Flight Attendant I can assure you that we were told in Training that we must accommodate everything from a goldfish, to a parakeet, to a pig, or a pony. It doesn’t matter if they are somewhat unruly, make noise, or relieve themselves on the plane. We have NO CHOICE. We are not permitted to ask questions, and they are permitted to fly. Those are NOT Airline rules. They are ADA and FAA rules and regulations. We do our best to work with the passengers who tell us they are allergic (we cannot require proof of allergies either, and trust me, some people just don’t like animals). But you just can’t always make everyone happy. And when it comes to a situation like this one, sadly, the big federal laws trump anybody’s feelings or allergies. In other words, you may be offered to be reseated. But that’s pretty much the extent of what can happen. And you’re NOT going to be “compensated” in any way for the inconvenience. And, if you pitch too much of a fit over it, YOU will be removed. Think of it like this – modern day air travel is much like riding a city bus or subway in the sky. That’s about the level of expectation a passenger should have regarding the experience. Sadly, most people still expect to be treated like Airlines used to treat passengers back in the 60s – as if they were royalty. But that’s just not how it works these days. You should consider yourself lucky if you get from point A to point B within a reasonable amount of the alotted time designated for your flight. And you are truly blessed if you got a beverage. That’s the truth about the current state of air travel. People need to stop feeling so entitled, and stop believing that the Airline “owes them something” for the screaming kid; the dog that peed (or worse); the overweight, smelly guy; or the peanut eater who is seated next to them. Airlines are a CARRIER. They are indeed there to transport people; and animals, and cargo, and whatever. If whatever the situation is makes you that miserable or sick, then don’t fly. It’s your right. But that’s pretty much where your “rights” end when it comes to flying. And as previously stated, if your discomfort, allergy or illness is potentially going to cause a major disruption to the flight, or put every other passenger on that plane at risk – of getting sick, or of being diverted in flight- sorry, but it’s YOU who will have to go.
And yes, all Service and ESAs are indeed trained for their jobs – but they are still ANIMALS. Sometimes, even in spite of their training, they still behave like animals. Sorry. They’re not perfect. And Airlines have no way of regulating or controlling that onboard. Flight Attendants are there to do their best to regulate and control the human passengers. Believe me, that’s hard enough. Which is why the difficult ones are removed. Human passengers, that is – not the animals.
David L.
My story/situation involved a service animal, which as you said is covered under ADA. Before you attack someone you should make sure you have your facts straight. Never once in my comment did I say that emotional support animals are covered under ADA. Don’t make assumptions; I am VERY familiar with ADA law.
Also for the lawyers on this thread who say that animal allergies are protected under law, in situations where you either kick off the service animal or kick off the person with the allergy…who do you think deserves to be kicked off? I would love to know which of the two individual YOU deem as more deserving to fly.
I have been on planes where there have been 100 pound service dogs. The dogs did not sit under the seat and intruded into the neighboring seats.
I have a Therapy Dog. It does not matter the size under seat on lap on floor next to feet. They have to be well behaved….As for her allergies hmmmm. If she is truly allergic it dies not matter where the dog is it will effect her. So her comment about having to emergency land is what got her kicked off. Nothing else but her attitude. The dog probably brushed passed her and she got stupid….and if she has that much money maybe she should consider hiring a charter plane next time…..
I think the fact that people need emotional support animals is getting a little out of hand… and is just another way for them to travel with their pets for free because if they are close with the doctors he will write a note regardless of the their, condition…..people with allergies to animals should be prioritized accordingly and the people with emotional support animals should take a backseat….if they are that unstable when they travel on an airplane then maybe they should take a Xanax,,,,it works for me…..and if the person really needs an emotional support animal then it should be a non-allergenic dog weighing no more than 15 to 20 pounds ……and the passenger should have documentation from at least two doctors
If I was the crew and a passenger said she was so horribly allergic to dogs that the plane would need to be diverted due to her health issue, since it sounds like there were two dogs on the plane, I probably would suggest she deplane and take another dog-less flight, for the passenger’s own safety and the airlines legal liability if the bumped passenger was telling the truth (which I suspect she was not).
I agree with others here . . . this sounds like a bumped passenger’s alternative facts.
Dear Leap, you are incorrect as to the number of types of animals legally required to be allowed on a flight; there is only one, not three. Service dogs for the disabled are the only type of dog guaranteed trave under the ADA. There is no registry for service dogs and as I have mentioned in two previous posts, only two questions are permitted by law to be asked to ascertain the legitimacy of a service dog. The travel of other dogs, and for that matter, other animals in the cabin is left to the decision of the individual airlines and, ultimately, to the aircraft captain. This includes “comfort” and “therapy” dogs and paying dogs, cats, and any other animal traveling in an under the seat carrier or in the cargo hold. Notes from doctor’s regarding an individual’s need to travel with an animal for therapeutic reasons are again left to the individual airline and their captains’ discretion. Airlines are under no obligation to provide transport for any animal outside of a service dog specifically trained to perform a task or tasks for a disabled individual, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act and subsequent Amendments of said Act.
For everyone mentioning the ADA, it doesn’t apply to passenger aircraft. Air travel is covered under the ACAA.